Candlelit vigil to remember the Holocaust

The people of Sheffield will come together this week to reflect on the atrocities of the past and mark Holocaust Memorial Day.

A candlelit vigil will be held in the Winter Gardens this Thursday, 26 January, at 5.30pm.

The event will be held a day earlier than the national day of remembrance to include the Jewish community, as this year it falls on their day of Sabbath.

The service is a time to think on the millions of people who were murdered or whose lives were changed beyond recognition during the Holocaust and in the subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

The service will include a variety of speakers including the Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Councillor Denise Fox, and Councillor Jack Scott. There will also be singing from Rabbi Golomb, leader of the Sheffield Jewish Orthodox Community, and a reading from local author Dr Debjani Chatterjee. Young people from the Sheena Amos Youth Trust and Parkwood Academy will also be performing, representing the voice of the younger generations.

Cllr Jack Scott, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: “Holocaust Memorial Day is an important day of reflection. Is it is a time to remember those who have suffered, both in the past and those who are suffering now.

“The ceremony is an opportunity for communities to come together and share their experiences reflecting on where we are now and how we move into the future together.

“I hope that as many people as possible can attend to reflect, pay respects and learn from the experiences of others.”

Throughout the week a collection of posters, including artwork from Bankwood Primary School, will be displayed in the Winter Gardens for people to view at their own leisure.